Steve Kerr wants Draymond Green to know when to ‘pull back’ with referees

Connor Letourneau
| on January 2, 2018

Nearly halfway through the regular season, Warriors forward Draymond Green leads the NBA with 10 technical fouls. It is a troubling development for a team that recognizes how much more daunting of a matchup it is when Green is on the court.

League rules dictate that a player receives an automatic one-game suspension once he gets assessed his 16th technical foul of the season, with another one-game suspension for every two additional techs thereafter. At this rate, Green would pick up his 16th tech Feb. 24 against Oklahoma City, the 60th game of an 82-game regular season.

“The tough part is we don’t want Draymond to be passive,” head coach Steve Kerr said after practice Tuesday. “We want him to be fiery, and we want him to be yelling. He’s got to walk that line, but it’s a tough line to walk, because he’s so passionate. That’s what makes him great.

“But, there’s just a point where he’s going to have to pull back. He has to feel that moment. We can talk to the league and plead our case, but ultimately, he’s got to feel when he’s got to pull back.”

After reviewing video of Green’s two techs in Saturday’s win over Memphis, Kerr believed the reigning Defensive Player of the Year didn’t deserve to be tossed from the game. Less than a minute after picking up his first tech for arguing with a referee, Green responded to a foul call by waving his right hand dismissively and was assessed his second technical foul, triggering his second ejection of the season.

Some viewed the incident as yet another example of officials targeting Green, whose run-ins with referees have been well chronicled. During the 2016 Western Conference finals, he twice nailed Oklahoma City center Steven Adams in the groin. In the 2016 NBA Finals, after hitting LeBron James in the groin, Green was suspended for Game 5.

Photo: Gerald Herbert, Associated Press

Image 1 of 1

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) is restrained by guard Stephen Curry (30) after being called for a technical foul for yelling at an official, in the first half of an NBA basketball gameGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) is restrained by guard Stephen Curry (30) after being called for a technical foul for yelling at an official, in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans, Monday, Dec. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The good news for Golden State is that Green has shown he can rein in his emotions when necessary. After picking up seven techs within the two first two months of last season, he managed to avoid suspension, finishing the regular season tied for fourth in the league with 14.

“We obviously need Draymond on the court, especially in big games,” guard Klay Thompson said. “He knows what he has to do, so I’m not going to tell him that he needs to be quiet or whatever. ... He’s learned from his mistakes, and he’s gotten much better from them.”